Patient safety remains a priority, as patients may have a choice about
whether to go to the grocery store, church or gatherings, but they do not have a choice about receiving medical care.
Infection Prevention & Control staff and hospital leadership will continue to closely monitor for signs of increased spread of illness among patients and staff and will update these restrictions as needed to respond to an increase in respiratory illnesses within our hospitals and clinics as well as the community.
Visitation Summary
Here are a few key points of our visitation policy, in place to keep our patients, staff and community safe to help reduce the spread of illness among patients and staff.
Specific details for each facility are described further below.
- In general, two visitors will be permitted per adult inpatient at any given time during visiting hours.
- The Women's Hospital and Deaconess Henderson Hospital Women's Services have different guidelines, see below.
- All outpatients may have two visitors with them. Some departments, such as infusion centers, may further limit visitation to protect high-risk patients.
- While most staff are no longer required to wear a mask, patients or visitors may ask them to put on a mask during interactions or while providing care.
- Masking is not required by patients unless they have respiratory symptoms.
- However, patients who are immunocompromised, at high risk for severe illness or in ICU will be asked to wear a mask when leaving their room/being transported. Visitors of these patients will be required to mask.
- Visitors are asked to not visit our hospitals if they feel ill or are experiencing respiratory symptoms.
- Appropriate isolation guidelines will remain in place for all visitors of patients who have respiratory illnesses.
- Employees, patients and visitors may choose to wear a mask in any setting at any time.
- No visitors under the age of 14 are permitted except for end-of-life situations.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we work to keep Deaconess a safe place to both receive and provide care.
Deaconess Midtown, Gateway, Henderson, Gibson
and Union County Hospitals
When Can I Visit
- Visiting hours are from 8 AM – 8 PM daily.
- Pediatric patients, and some patients who are cognitively impaired, may have visitors outside of these visiting hours.
- COVID-19 patients are able to have visitors in certain circumstances. Please talk with the patient’s care team to learn about specific details.
How many people can visit?
Inpatient / Same-day Surgery
Each inpatient or same-day surgery patient will be permitted
TWO visitors age 14+ at any given time during visiting hours.
Exceptions include:
- COVID-19 patients are able to have visitors in certain circumstances. Please talk with the patient’s care team to learn about specific details.
- End-of-life and other special circumstances will warrant additional visitation. (See “Special Circumstances” below.)
- Patients will be able to receive pastoral care visitors (clergy, chaplains, etc.) Pastoral care visitors will not count toward the patient’s two visitors that day.
Outpatients in the hospital facilities
Where do I enter?
During visiting hours, visitors may enter only through main entrances of hospitals as well as at the Ortho Neuro Hospital entrance.
During Your Visit
- Visitors will not be required to wear a mask at all times; however, in a few specific areas, masking may be recommended or required due to specific patient needs.
Special Circumstances, Overnight & Emergency Department Visitors
Special circumstances that may warrant additional visitors include: end-of life, critically ill/injured patient and/or deterioration of patient status. Special circumstances will be approved and reassessed daily by the patient’s care team/primary RN/ADCO.
End-of-Life
- End-of-life visitors will report to the hospital entrances.
- If end-of-life visitors must arrive outside visiting hours, they should enter via the Emergency Department.
- For COVID-19 patients, a staff member from the unit will escort the visitor(s) to the unit to discuss PPE and visitor process and time limits.
Staying Overnight
- Visitor(s) approved by the primary RN to stay overnight for special circumstances will be required to obtain a pass each night from security at 8 PM daily.
Emergency Department Visitors
- Patients entering the emergency department will be allowed two visitors unless the patient is placed in isolation, such as patients undergoing COVID-19 testing.
- If the patient is admitted during visiting hours, two visitors will be allowed to accompany the patient to the room.
- If the patient is admitted after visiting hours, no visitation will be permitted unless there are special circumstances, as described above.
If you have questions about visitation at Deaconess facilities,
please call 812-450-5000.
The Women's Hospital, Deaconess Cross Pointe, Deaconess Clinic and other outpatient facilities
The Women's Hospital Visitation
Effective December 4, 2023
- Masking is required by all NICU visitors/parents at this time due to increasing respiratory viruses.
- Masking is not required by patients unless they have respiratory symptoms or confirmed respiratory viral illness.
- Visitors are asked to not visit our hospitals if they feel ill or are experiencing respiratory symptoms (such as cough, sneezing, congestion), or may have a respiratory illness such as flu, RSV, COVID, etc.
- Appropriate isolation guidelines may remain in place for all staff and patients who have respiratory illnesses.
- Patients may request staff to wear a mask.
- Hospital patients, including obstetrical inpatients, gynecology surgical patients and OB-GYN emergency department patients, may have two designated visitors/support persons.
- These designated visitors/support persons must be 16 years old or older.
- Designated visitors will remain the same throughout the patient’s stay, and wrist bands will be utilized to identify designated visitors.
- Visitation is daily from 4PM – 6 PM. This visitation time excludes NICU and laboring patients.
- Outpatient/Office Appointments: TWO support persons are allowed.
- NICU: Both parents may visit together and must wear a mask. No other NICU visitors at this time.
- Clergy may visit patients as appropriate. Clergy must check-in with security.
- NICU Visitation
Because the babies in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) need special care due to prematurity or other conditions, visitation guidelines in our NICU are different from other areas of The Women's Hospital.
In order to keep your baby and other NICU babies as safe as possible, the following guidelines have been implemented.
NICU Guidelines (Subject to change during Influenza and RSV seasons)
- Masking is required for family members in the NICU.
- Mother and father/designated support person are considered part of the team providing care for baby. You are welcome in the unit, while masked, at any time with the exception of 6:30 AM - 7:45 AM and 6:30 PM - 7:45 PM. The NICU may also be closed during emergencies or procedures.
Deaconess Henderson Hospital Women's Services
- Hospital patients, including obstetrical inpatients, gynecology surgical patients and OB-GYN emergency department patients may have two designated visitors/support persons.
- These designated visitors/support persons must be 16 years old or older.
- Designated visitors will remain the same throughout the patient’s stay, and wrist bands will be utilized to identify designated visitors.
- Siblings of newborns may visit daily during the hours of 4-6 PM with ONE additional adult.
- Outpatient/Office Appointments: TWO support persons are allowed.
- NICU: both parents may visit together. Masking is required in the NICU. No other NICU visitors at this time.
- Clergy may visit patients as appropriate.
Deaconess Cross Pointe
- All visitors will self-screen for respiratory symptoms and exposure.
- No visitation is allowed if an individual reports respiratory symptoms, is pending test results or is on quarantine due to recent exposure. This includes family members going to a family therapy session.
- Youth Unit
- 2 visitors (parent/guardian) per patient per 24-hour period
- Visitors will go back separately, each in 30 minute increments
- Visiting hours:
- Monday – Friday 6:15 – 7:15 PM
- Saturday – Sunday 1 - 2 PM
- Adult Units
- 2 visitors per patient per 24-hour period
- Visiting hours:
- Monday – Friday – 7:30- 8:30 PM
- Saturday – Sunday 2:30-3:30 PM
- Visitors who have questions about Deaconess Cross Pointe visitation should call 812-476-7200 prior to entering.
- Anyone reporting respiratory symptoms and seeking a CARE Team assessment will be directed to complete a phone or virtual assessment.
- CARE Team will coordinate with the Emergency Department to care for a patient with an acute mental health issue and symptoms of COVID-19.
Outpatient Facility Guidelines
All outpatients may have two visitors with them. Masking is not required by staff, patients or visitors in most areas.
However, masking should continue in specific care sites:
- Procedural areas (such as endoscopy, interventional radiology, cath lab, pain management, etc.) when providing direct patient care
Patients with respiratory symptoms are required to wear a mask and will be provided a mask and placed in an appropriate setting.
If you have questions about visitation at Deaconess facilities,
please call 812-450-5000.